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Safer Shrimp Imports Act
3/13/2025, 3:25 PM
Summary of Bill S 667
The main goal of this legislation is to ensure the safety and quality of shrimp imported into the US market. By implementing mandatory inspections of foreign facilities, the bill aims to prevent any potential health risks associated with contaminated or improperly handled shrimp.
In addition to inspection requirements, the bill also includes provisions for increased transparency and accountability in the shrimp industry. This includes measures to improve traceability of shrimp products and enhance communication between foreign facilities and US regulatory agencies. Overall, the Shrimp Inspection Act seeks to protect consumers from potential health hazards associated with imported shrimp by implementing stricter regulations and oversight of foreign facilities. This bill highlights the importance of food safety and the need for increased scrutiny of products entering the US market.
Congressional Summary of S 667
Safer Shrimp Imports Act
This bill prohibits the importation of shrimp from countries that do not have food inspection systems equivalent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection system for shrimp, or that have not entered into an agreement with the FDA facilitating U.S. inspection of their food facilities.
Specifically, the FDA must seek to enter into arrangements and agreements with the government of each country with at least one facility that manufactures, processes, packs, or holds shrimp for consumption in the United States to facilitate FDA inspection of such facilities.
The bill prohibits the importation of shrimp that is manufactured, processed, packed, or held in a country (1) that has not entered into an inspection arrangement or agreement with the FDA, or (2) the food inspection system of which is not equivalent to the FDA’s food inspection system with respect to shrimp. To be considered equivalent, a country’s food inspection system must include staffing that ensures uniform enforcement of applicable laws and regulations, and must provide for the enforcement of laws and regulations that address conditions under which shrimp are raised and transported to processing facilities.
Further, shrimp imported or offered for import into the United States that have been manufactured, processed, packed, or held in a country that is not compliant with these requirements are deemed adulterated, and thus may not be introduced into interstate commerce.
